Compared to the extravagant Olympic Flames of today, the Flame lighting at the 1952 Helsinki games seems…quaint. It was, however, considered pretty extravagant at the time since Paavo Nurmi lit the flame you see above, then a second runner, Hannes Kolehmainen, lit his torch off of this flame and ran up a tower to light a second Olympic Flame that could be seen around Helsinki. It may be quaint, but it worked and there’s something elegant in that simplicity.
[Image Credit: Public Domain]
What this guy said.[youtube MRjHQPbJ6m8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRjHQPbJ6m8 youtube]
[youtube o1XYu4ik2ik&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1XYu4ik2ik&feature=player_embedded youtube]
And not being able to see the flame (since it can be viewed only from inside the track & field stadium) is what many attendees to the London Olympics are complaining about. Good on ya, Helsinki!
In the first video is that Emperor Hirohito?
I've always been partial to the 1984 Olympics lighting of the flame. Exactly the right blend of tradition and spectacle IMHO.
[youtube cbbVk3AGVhE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbbVk3AGVhE youtube]